On My Nightstand: "Dune" by Frank Herbert
Welcome to the summer of sci-fi!
By far my favorite literary genre, I was introduced to science fiction by my daddy when I was twelve years old. A bookish child who always enjoyed reading, my prior education (which stemmed from my mom’s influence) leaned more towards “classic” literature. My daddy, however, sought to stretch my definition of literature. One summer evening he slid the novel “Dune”, Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel, across the dining room table. He demanded I read it and proclaimed he’d grill me each evening regarding my progress.
Thankfully for us both, he didn’t need to grill. As I started reading and the story of the young Paul Atreides, the sole heir to a noble family tasked with ruling the inhospitable planet of Arrakis began to unfold, I was hooked. I became enthralled by the desert planet (also known as Dune) and its production of the drug “spice” melange, capable of enhancing consciousness and extending life and coveted across the known universe. After his family is betrayed, Paul is forced deep into the desert where he discovers his true self–a man that will bring humanity’s most ancient and unattainable dream to fruition.
I was also enthralled by the Machiavellian interaction between the characters, as they schemed and plotted to shift the power dynamic to achieve their goals. Of course, at the tender age of twelve I didn’t understand it in quite those grandiose terms. My daddy, however, was never one to talk down to a child. He introduced me to these concepts as we discussed the story over dinner every evening, lighting a spark in me that would ignite a passion for science fiction that has yet to be quenched.
Long after everyone else had left the table, daddy and I would still be sitting there going over (sometimes even debating) the salient points of the story. As the complexity of the plot began to unfold, I marveled at how Frank Herbert masterfully crafted a story with so much depth.
Considered to be among the classics of the genre, Dune has become the best-selling science fiction novel of all time and one I highly recommend!
~ Louise
